New Delhi, April 23
Former Prime Minister V.P. Singh today announced a new political forum, the Jan
Morcha, headed by suspended Samajwadi Party leader Raj Babbar.

Film actor and MP Raj Babbar with former Prime Minister V. P. Singh at a press conference to announce the launch of Jan Morcha in New Delhi on Sunday.
— Tribune photo by Rajeev Tyagi

Udit gets notice for bigamy by women’s body
Patna, April 23
The Bihar Women's Commission has reportedly sent a notice to Bollywood singing sensation Udit Narayan today to depose before it within next fortnight after a case was registered against him yesterday on charges of "bigamy" as levelled by his first wife, Ranjana Narayan.

Speaker lays stress on population control
New Delhi, April 23
Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today stressed the need for an action-oriented programme to tackle population growth. Delivering the inaugural address at the two-day Asian leaders’ conference on ‘Population and Development’ here on Sunday, Mr Chatterjee said that the action programme can succeed only with public participation from the policy-making stage.

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee with Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit during the 22th Asian Parliamentarians’ meeting on population and development in New Delhi on Sunday — PTI

Centre to introduce internship on governance
New Delhi, April 23
As part of its administrative reforms efforts, the Congress-led UPA government is contemplating on introducing a programme to invite scholars from reputed institutions to study and analyse identified areas and issues of governance, which would be used to improve the delivery system and future planning.

Blair felicitates Hindus in Britain
New Delhi, April 23
The Hindu community in Britain has earned felicitations from none other than British Prime Minister Tony Blair on the occasion of a charity fund raiser being organised by the Hindu Forum of Britain (HFB).

Underworld takes to pen pistols
Mumbai, April 23
Mumbai’s underworld has now taken to sophisticated devices like pen pistols that may be hidden inside a shirt pocket.

Government considering demand for wage board
New Delhi, April 23
The government is considering the demands of journalist and non-journalist employees of newspapers and news agencies for the setting up of new wage boards, Labour Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao said today.

Prakash Jha offers to build Bihar roads
Patna, April 23
Known for his bold allegorical films, from
"Gangajal" to "Apaharan" depicting the alleged misrule in Bihar in the past, Prakash Jha has now offered to construct a four-lane highway in Bihar between Hazipur and Muzaffarpur — a project no private company earlier wanted to execute due to the prevailing poor law and order situation. A Bombay-based private party is expected to work in tandem with him.

Sharad Yadav, Fernandes call on Mahajan
New Delhi, April 23
Janata Dal (United) President Sharad Yadav and party secretary general K.C. Tyagi called on the grievously injured BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan at Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai on Sunday.

Canada against violence in Nepal
New Delhi, April 23
Canada has urged the Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) in Nepal to work together and refrain from violence during the ongoing “delicate transition period.’’

Patna, April 23
The Bihar Women's Commission has reportedly sent a notice to Bollywood singing sensation Udit Narayan today to depose before it within next fortnight after a case was registered against him yesterday on charges of "bigamy" as levelled by his first wife, Ranjana Narayan.

After 22 years, the first wife of Udit Narayan, Ranjana Narayan, had surfaced on Friday at a private hotel in the city, where the Bollywood singer had been staying with his present wife, Deepa Narayan, in connection with a marriage ceremony.

While Udit Narayan originally hails from Saharsa district of Bihar, Ranjana Narayan stays in the adjoining Supaul district.

After a high melodrama at the hotel for five hours on Friday, when his first wife made abortive bid to meet him and even staged a dharna in front of his room, the police had to escort Udit Narayan out of the hotel to board him on the flight to Mumbai.

Despite the claim by Udit Narayan and his wife Deepa Narayan that it was a case of "blackmail" against them to defame the reputation of the singer, the Bihar Women's Commission found "prima facie true" following the complaint by Ranjana Narayan who claimed to be Udit Narayan's first wife.

According to Ms Manju Prakash, the chairperson of the
commission, the case was registered for breach of marriage solemnised in 1984 with Ranjana Narayan.

After interacting with Ranjana Narayan, Ms Manju Prakash was reportedly of the view that the bank passbooks, ration card and other circumstantial evidence suggested that the singer was married to her.

The commission now plans to legally contest the case.

In tears, Ranjana argued before the commission that Udit had betrayed her and married Deepa, a Nepalese national.

Dismissing Udit Narayan's accusation that a conspiracy was hatched by his rivals, Ranjana Narayan said she possessed all the photographs of the marriage solemnised at her house in Supaul.

On Friday, she had shown the photographs of her marriage with Udit Narayan to mediapersons.

Ranjana Narayan also met the state Chief Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar to seek justice for herself.

New Delhi, April 23
Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee today stressed the need for an action-oriented programme to tackle population growth. Delivering the inaugural address at the two-day Asian leaders’ conference on ‘Population and Development’ here on Sunday, Mr Chatterjee said that the action programme can succeed only with public participation from the policy-making stage.

“I believe if we want to make any policy a success and the action programme more successful, we will have to involve the people in the policy processes and encourage their participation at all levels.”

The conference has been organised by the Indian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development and the Tokyo-based Asian Population and Development Association in collaboration with the UNFPA (United Nations population fund) and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The Lok Sabha Speaker urged members of Parliament from Asian countries to seek appropriate allocations and investment of financial resources for the purpose.

He said that the growth in population has resulted in political, social and economic changes such as lack of safe drinking water, electricity and food. He said that problems related to pollution, sanitation, hygiene and waste management need to be addressed.

In her address, Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit said that development must have a human face. She emphasised the role of youth and women in the process of development and suggested that they be empowered.

Dr Nafis Sadik, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General on HIV AIDS observed that the ever increasing globalisation of markets, technologies, communication systems and trade policies do not necessarily have the desired impact on global poverty as set out in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Panabaka Lakshmi said that rapid growth in population combined with rising living standards are placing unsustainable pressure on natural resources. This has led to an increase in pollution, degradation of waterways, farmlands, forests, coastal areas, climate change and loss of bio-diversity.

In his thought-provoking address, the Director of UNFPA regional team for South and West Asia, Dr Wasim Zaman said, “Globalisation is certainly on. The dichotomy is that even though we are connected as never before through trade, finance, travel and communication and yet the world is greatly divided. Today, one person in six, lives in extreme poverty or earns less than one dollar a day while 20 per cent of people — mostly from wealthy countries— consume close to 86 per cent of the resources of the world.”

New Delhi, April 23
As part of its administrative reforms efforts, the Congress-led UPA government is contemplating on introducing a programme to invite scholars from reputed institutions to study and analyse identified areas and issues of governance, which would be used to improve the delivery system and future planning.

As per the draft scheme, the programme is designed to benefit both the government and the students. While the government receives neutral and expert feedback, the students get opportunities to do research in a particular area of governance relevant to their specialisation.

According to a senior DoPT official, this scheme has been approved in principle and a formal notification is expected shortly.

“The neutrality and accuracy of an analysis depends on how well an outsider’s perspective is accommodated and is supplemented with the insiders’ viewpoint...With a view to realise this objective, this scheme has been devised,” he said.

The programme will be implemented in the various participating ministries/departments and the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) will act as facilitator. The nominations would be invited from the reputed institutions like Indian Institute of Management, Indian Institute of Technology, medical colleges, agricultural colleges and universities, etc.

DARPG would invite nominations along with their proposals from all reputed institutions/ universities and selection of interns would be done in consultation with the other participating ministries and departments. Each participating ministry/department could get a maximum of five interns in a year.

The selection criteria would be that the student must be doing diploma/degree in any of the reputed institutions; the student must have secured a high second class; the proposal submitted by the candidates should be relevant and innovative; the student must have a good academic credential; nomination should come from the head of institutions and the students may be considered for subsequent internships also subject to demonstrated capability.

The duration of the internship would be three months, which can be extended by only one month if the completion of the study report warrants such an extension. The interns would get a stipend of Rs 10,000 per month, proper working space with desk, computer, stationery, etc, other logistic support and access to information, files, records, etc, other than that of confidential nature.

New Delhi, April 23
The Hindu community in Britain has earned felicitations from none other than British Prime Minister Tony Blair on the occasion of a charity fund raiser being organised by the Hindu Forum of Britain (HFB).

The Forum is an umbrella body for British Hindus and claims a formal membership of more than 270 Hindu organisations from different regions and cultural backgrounds in Britain.

According to a Press note issued by the Hindu Forum of Britain, film stars from Mumbai and 500 top Indian business leaders in
Britain will join ministers, civil servants, diplomats, celebrities and community leaders at a celebration of Hindu culture and commerce at Hilton Park Lane on Tuesday. The event will raise funds for charitable causes including a campaign to raise awareness about cancers specific to the Indian community.

Noted singer Kavita Krishnamurthy will sing the HFB mantra adopted from a 5000-year-old verse on inter-faith unity and community cohesion from the Rigveda.

Congratulating the HFB on the occasion, British Prime Minister has said, “The Hindu community has a long and proud tradition in Britain and makes a huge contribution to the economic and social prosperity of this country. The Hindu Forum of Britain, in particular, has taken a leading role in profiling the success and
achievements of the Hindu community in British society. This is an exciting time for the Hindu Forum of Britain and I am impressed by the many exciting projects and initiatives it is leading.”

According to Rami Ranger, Chairperson of the HFB Fund-raising Committee, “The HFB ball is a celebration of the phenomenal contributions made by British Hindus in every sphere of life — business, professions, food, fashion, music, dramatics, media and the performing arts. It is the first event of this magnitude by a Hindu organisation and proves that the Hindu community has arrived in Britain.”

Ramesh Kallidai, HFB General Secretary said that the launch of cancer awareness campaign in partnership with cancer charities will save many lives.

He said that mouth cancer and other types of cancers specific to the Indian community can be prevented by encouraging early screening and lifestyle changes.

Mumbai, April 23
Mumbai’s underworld has now taken to sophisticated devices like pen pistols that may be hidden inside a shirt pocket.

The police here stumbled on such devices earlier this week when a person, Rajesh Panchal, 23, was picked up for loitering from suburban Vile Parle. On frisking him the pen pistol was recovered from him.

The police later said Panchal was a member of the Dawood Ibrahim gang.

Pen pistols, like the kind used in the James Bond movies, have just one cartridge and need to be fired at a close range. Gangsters usually carry such devices for self-defence.

Such pistols are manufactured in the arms black markets of Afghanistan and the villages bordering Bihar and Nepal.

Chennai, April 23
Superstitions are ruling the roost in Tamil Nadu’s election campaign though both Dravidian parties in the fray claim to be atheists.

Though the battle lines are drawn, election campaign in Tamil Nadu is yet to pick up. The die is cast. But neither the ruling All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam (AIADMK) nor the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has started campaigning with earnest fervour.

Though both parties claim to be atheists, their release of lists of candidates indicated their nature. The DMK president, Mr M. Karunanidhi, adhering to his atheist nature, released his list on the inauspicious Navami (or the ninth day on a waning lunar calendar) but Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa waited a day more, the auspicious Dashami (the tenth lunar day) to announce her list.

The AIADMK is contesting an unprecedented 182 seats in the 234-member Legislative Assembly after allocating 32 seats to Vaiko’s Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), one short of Ms Jayalalithaa’s favourite number of a multiple of 3, and a few to smaller and little known fragments of religion and caste-based parties.

Among the smaller parties in Tamil Nadu’s AIADMK combine, the Dalit Panthers of India, led by Mr Thol Thirumavalavan, have got the largest chunk of seats from the AIADMK.

Ms Jayalalithaa’s electioneering started on March 31, which was considered an auspicious day by astrologers as it was the third morning after a new moon. Her new colour of saree is now dark green which is said to be lucky for her.

During the last elections, the AIADMK had contested 140 seats and had managed to win 132. Both numbers total up to 5, which again is said to be like Mercury and lucky for any person. Since then, the party had won all byelections to the Assembly, including Andipatti in Theni district in southern Tamil Nadu where Ms Jayalalithaa won with a margin of 78,000 votes in 2001.

The DMK is contesting 129 seats. Astrologers have predicted that it is a lucky number for septuagenarian M. Karunanidhi as it totals ultimately to 3, which also is said to be a lucky number for him like Ms Jayalalithaa.

In a state, where politicians consult astrologers at the drop of a hat, it is to be seen whether May 8 turns out to be lucky for them or not.

New Delhi, April 23
As many as 80,000 working children will join mainstream education by 2007 under an Indo-US project to eliminate child labour in the country.

The three-year-long INDUS project, launched in February 2004, as a follow-up to a joint statement on “Enhanced
Indo-US Cooperation on Eliminating Child Labour”, is aimed to ensure elimination of child labour from hazardous occupations, an official note said here on Monday.

The US Department of Labour is providing 20 million US dollars (approximately Rs 90 crore), which will be matched with an equal amount from
India. The project will be implemented in 21 districts in NCT of Delhi, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

Meanwhile, the National Child Labour Projects (NCLP) launched by the Ministry of Labour in August 1994, has been extended to 250 child labour- endemic districts.

The effort is to achieve complete elimination of child labour from identified hazardous occupations by the end of the Tenth Plan.

Under the revised scheme, while special schools being run under the NCLPs will bring working children in the age group of 9-14 to the formal education system, working children in the age group of 5-8 will be integrated thus directly through the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

Patna, April 23
From controversial RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin to former DM of Patna Gautam Goswami, VIP prisoners in Bihar jails are now turning to yoga to attain mental peace.

While Shahabuddin is lodged in the Bhagalpur jail facing 40 criminal charges, Goswami is in the Beur jail in connection with the multi-crore flood relief scam.

Sources in the Jail Department disclosed that of late Goswami was spending most of the time reading books by Swami Vivekananda, as well as the Bhagvadgita and other religious texts. Goswami was practising yoga regularly in the morning and opting to live a simple life.

Goswami reportedly told jail officials that he had found a new meaning of life in the jail by reading Swami Vivekananda, other religious texts and practising yoga.

For another VIP prisoner, the jailed RJD MP Mohammad Shahabuddin, he has reportedly turned to the Art of Living to get rid of stress and keep healthy.

The sources said Shahabuddin was taking lessons in yoga to bust stress as part of the Art of Living course conducted for prisoners by the jail authorities.

Shahabuddin is one of nearly 200 prisoners in the Bhagalpur jail enlisted for the Art of Living course.

The ruling NDA has already introduced yoga and pranayam in some select jails of Bihar to change the mindset of criminals.

During his recent visit to the state, yoga guru Baba Ramdev also suggested to introduce yoga and pranayam in jails which, he claimed, would have a positive effect in changing the attitude of the inmates.

New Delhi, April 23
The government is considering the demands of journalist and non-journalist employees of newspapers and news agencies for the setting up of new wage boards, Labour Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao said today.

“The file is with me. After the results of the five state Assembly elections, I will do something,” he told reporters.

The minister’s assurance follows Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s promise last month that he would look into the demand for new wage boards.

Dr Manmohan Singh had told a delegation of the Confederation of Newspaper and News agency Employees Organisations that he would study the issue, hold discussions with the Labour and Information and Broadcasting ministers and look into the long pending demand of over a lakh employees working in the sector.

The umbrella body of the apex media trade unions had called on him to press for its demand for the early constitution of the “much-delayed” wage boards.

The confederation had urged the Prime Minister to ensure that the wage boards be given a specific time frame to come out with its recommendations and set up a committee to ensure that newspaper managements did not violate the labour law and that the freedom of speech and expression was not infringed upon by the ever-increasing contractual appointments.

The confederation said wage revisions were taking place in several industries and the Central Government had granted “heavy doses of relief” to employees in the form of housing allowance and other benefits. Newspaper employees, on the contrary, had received no revision in any manner after the last wage boards were implemented in 1998-2000, it said.
— PTI

Patna, April 23
Known for his bold allegorical films, from
"Gangajal" to "Apaharan" depicting the alleged misrule in Bihar in the past, Prakash Jha has now offered to construct a four-lane highway in Bihar between Hazipur and Muzaffarpur — a project no private company earlier wanted to execute due to the prevailing poor law and order situation. A Bombay-based private party is expected to work in tandem with him.

It was learnt that when a tender was floated for Rs 4 billion for the said project in 2004, no private bidder applied for it.

Government officials admitted that private construction companies were not willing to take up the project due to a perception that Bihar was India's most lawless state.

Earlier Prakash Jha announced his plan to build several multiplexes in Patna, after the government announced a three-year tax rebate to private investors who were willing to set up multiplexes in the state. The Bollywood filmmaker hails from a village near
Bettiah.

New Delhi, April 23
Janata Dal (United) President Sharad Yadav and party secretary general K.C. Tyagi called on the grievously injured BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan at Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai on Sunday.

NDA convener and former Defence Minister George Fernandes also flew to Mumbai on Sunday afternoon to enquire about Mahajan’s well-being.

Mr Tyagi told TNS that they met his wife Rekha and son Rahul and conveyed wishes for quick recovery to Mahajan. Mr Gopinath
Munde, former Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra who rushed Mahajan to hospital on Saturday morning gave the leaders an account of the incident.